After a pretty rough night (headache plus just not feeling well, compounded by an amazing batch of thunderstorms) I slept in late, we didn’t really get going until about noon. Genetta did go to breakfast with my mother and bring back a biscuit and some strawberry jam for Michelle — that was really sweet of her. The four of us headed out for a street food fair on Decatur just a few blocks from the unit. The day started out cloudy but quickly turned bright blue with puffy clouds and a decent breeze.
Cool old building in the French Quarter, home to Louisiana Pizza Kitchen (where we'd end up eating dinner)
We had all kinds of food. I personally tasted some of Addison’s (and later, Michelle’s) beef brisket as well as some of Addison’s fried mac and cheese. I also got a small bowl of Andouille sausage and chicken jambalaya that was wonderful. Addison and Michelle each got some fried chicken that was too spicy to finish (they claimed they didn’t know it was going to be spicy, but c’mon — the fried skin was glowing red) and Genetta had some yakamein. Yakamein are spaghetti noodles in beef and onion broth and half a hard-boiled egg. Hers had some shrimp which led me not to share, but I resolved to have some on Sunday when we (inevitably) return. We finished up our food fair with small sno balls that were wonderful. I had the strawberry and they were very, very generous with the syrup!
Beef and shrimp yakamein, known to the locals as "Old Sober" for its hangover helper properties
A quiet place in Latrobe Park to enjoy our food
Andouille sausage and chicken jambalaya, very tasty!
Latrobe Park, French Quarter
Statue of Joan of Arc near the French Market
As we were too full for beignets we walked past Cafe du Monde (it was packed anyhow) and watched some performers near Jackson Square in front of St. Louis Cathedral from the Washington Artillery battery. We ended up briefly checking out some art hung on the fence surrounding Jackson Square.
Saint Louis Cathedral
Art vendor at Jackson Square
Jackson Square with Saint Louis Cathedral beyond
A street car with the Mississippi beyond
More art near Jackson Square
We then proceeded up Decatur to Walgreens (for various supplies) and then to Southern Candymakers and bought some treats — gummy worms for Addison, some chocolate for the ladies, and pralines for me. Along the way we also stopped at the Jean Lafitte National Park headquarters and, after a brief sweep through the visitor’s center, enjoyed their quiet courtyard. That all done, we headed up Conti and at the intersection of Royal happened upon a wedding second line. Unfortunately we missed the bride and groom but did manage to catch the wedding guests dancing and waving their white wedding second line handkerchiefs just in front of the band pulling up the rear. Really lucky of us to stumble on to that!
Wedding Second Line parading up Royal Street
We headed back to the unit via Royal and saw a few shops we’d definitely be visiting in the days ahead like Cohen’s coins and antiques store, a store that has many Tiffany-style lamps, and a vintage clothing shop that Genetta is interested in. There were also some interesting street performances to be seen in addition to the normal street musicians — a guy dressed up like the Invisible Man sitting on an “invisible stool” as well as two men sitting at desks with typewriters offering to type out poems for people.
Invisible man sitting on an invisible stool -- freaky!
Street band on Royal
Royal Street poets-on-demand
We passed the Cornstalk Hotel, across from which a balcony had an angel statue blowing bubbles on to the street. Made it back to the unit just before 4p and got ready to go to the Fais-Do-Do, a Cajun event with music (often zydeco) and dancing, at Maison on Frenchmen Street. Though it was a bit too crowded inside we all enjoyed the music (along with others) from the street. Genetta and I, later joined by Michelle, went to the nearby Louisiana Music Factory. Louisiana Music Factory is a wonderful music store specializing in the thriving New Orleans music scene — everything from jazz and zydeco to even the local metal acts like Goatwhore and Down. Genetta bought a zydeco CD and a sticker for her cello case.
More art, this time behind Saint Louis Cathedral
Cornstalk Hotel fountain
Balcony angel bestowing her bounty of bubbles!
Neato sign for the famous Blue Nile on Frenchmen Street, Marigny
Events board for Maison on Frenchmen, is that a bottle drunk from drinking another bottle while chopping a rainbow next to a flying saucer? What?!
Zydeco performers at the Fais-Do-Do at Maison on Frenchmen Street, Marigny
Late afternoon sun really brings out some of the color of the Marigny
After heading back to the unit for a few minutes to freshen up we headed back into the quarter to the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen. We had some really good ciabatta garlic bread and I had a personal pepperoni and cheese pizza. For dessert I shared some of Michelle’s chocolate cake. Heading back we talked in the courtyard for a bit then headed up to bed to relax and to blog.